Nerdy 14 year old brings homemade clock to school and is arrested

[WildBill]

Ridiculous and the kid should not have been punished for 3 days! What is wrong with people those days. The kid commit not crime or anything illegal. Oh! my Lord, we have stupid educators.

What moron can't tell the difference between a clock and a bomb? The lack of anything resembling an explosive should be one clue.

The teachers are a product of their own education system.

[JALLEN]

An update:

Update at 11:20 a.m. Wednesday: At a press conference this morning, Irving Police Chief Larry Boyd said Ahmed Mohamed was arrested for bringing "a hoax bomb" to school -- and not a clock, as Mohamed said he repeatedly told his teachers.

But, Boyd said, "we are confident it's not an explosive device" intended to cause "alarm." Rather, he said, officers determined it was "a hoax bomb" and a "naive accident."

As a result, he said, no charges will be filed against Ahmed, and "the case is considered closed." He also said "the reaction would have been the same regardless" of the student's skin color.

Irving police released a photo of the clock during the press conference.

Shortly after the announcement, President Barack Obama extended a Twitter invitation for Ahmed to bring his "cool clock" to the White House. "We should inspire more kids like you to make America great," the tweet read.

[WildBill]

Redacted

[EEllis]

I haven't seen a pic of the clock. Is it possible that the kid made a "Bomb" clock? We have all seen those novelty clocks and I wouldn't be shocked if a 14yo kid just didn't think it through and made something similar as a joke. I would expect the press to mention it if so, but considering that would mean there was no story, the fact that the clock really does look, and was designed to look, like a bomb might just be left out. Why report the truth when you can make people look stupid and racist.

[JALLEN]

I haven't seen a pic of the clock. Is it possible that the kid made a "Bomb" clock? We have all seen those novelty clocks and I wouldn't be shocked if a 14yo kid just didn't think it through and made something similar as a joke. I would expect the press to mention it if so, but considering that would mean there was no story, the fact that the clock really does look, and was designed to look, like a bomb might just be left out. Why report the truth when you can make people look stupid and racist.

These people need no help.

My guess, having not seen the picture, is that there is nothing remotely sinister about this device, except to the profoundly superstitious and ignorant.

What does a bomb look like?

[WildBill]

I haven't seen a pic of the clock. Is it possible that the kid made a "Bomb" clock? We have all seen those novelty clocks and I wouldn't be shocked if a 14yo kid just didn't think it through and made something similar as a joke. I would expect the press to mention it if so, but considering that would mean there was no story, the fact that the clock really does look, and was designed to look, like a bomb might just be left out. Why report the truth when you can make people look stupid and racist.

From the original story:

The bell rang at least twice, he said, while the officers searched his belongings and questioned his intentions.

The principal threatened to expel him if he didn’t make a written statement, he said.

“They were like, ‘So you tried to make a bomb?’” Ahmed said.

“I told them no, I was trying to make a clock.”

“He said, ‘It looks like a movie bomb to me.’”Emphasis mine. A movie bomb

To me the device looks like any homemade prototype electronic circuit, but I have more experience than the average high school principal.

[EEllis]

So evidently he showed it to his engineering teacher who thought it was cool but told him that he probably shouldn't show it to anyone else. Later that day the clock, which was a bunch of electronic parts in a small briefcase like case, started beeping and a different teacher saw it and thought it looked like a bomb. The cops said that if it were found somewhere unattended they would have to assume it was an explosive device. So at the time it was concerned that the kid brought a fake bomb to school.

I'm a bit of two minds on the situation. Reportedly it looked like it could've been a bomb to everyone who saw it but the kid. So the suspension while a bit harsh because the kid didn't mean any harm, doesn't seem to out of line. Consequences for actions teaches kids to think about what they are doing. He might not of meant any harm but he also has to live in today's world.

As to the arrest it seems to me that while they had PC when dealing with a good kid that isn't some direct danger you can spend a bit of time to fully figure things out before arresting him. If they desided to press charges then they could always go pick him up later. So without more info I have to wonder if it was necessary.

[EEllis]

My guess, having not seen the picture, is that there is nothing remotely sinister about this device, except to the profoundly superstitious and ignorant.

Well since it seemed that everyone who saw it thought bomb, or that it was meant to look like a bomb, I get a different impression.

[puma guy]

I haven't seen a pic of the clock. Is it possible that the kid made a "Bomb" clock? We have all seen those novelty clocks and I wouldn't be shocked if a 14yo kid just didn't think it through and made something similar as a joke. I would expect the press to mention it if so, but considering that would mean there was no story, the fact that the clock really does look, and was designed to look, like a bomb might just be left out. Why report the truth when you can make people look stupid and racist.

These people need no help.

My guess, having not seen the picture, is that there is nothing remotely sinister about this device, except to the profoundly superstitious and ignorant.

What does a bomb look like?

No pictures, but descriptions depict a circuit board with a digital display. According to Ahmed the teacher that reported him said it looked like a bomb. I doubt she's an explosives expert, but probably reacted to the statement school released by the school "The school has not commented on the case, but issued a statement saying it "always ask our students and staff to immediately report if they observe any suspicious items". source bbc.com
I hope they don't have an Electronics Shop as an elective at the school.

[puma guy]

I haven't seen a pic of the clock. Is it possible that the kid made a "Bomb" clock? We have all seen those novelty clocks and I wouldn't be shocked if a 14yo kid just didn't think it through and made something similar as a joke. I would expect the press to mention it if so, but considering that would mean there was no story, the fact that the clock really does look, and was designed to look, like a bomb might just be left out. Why report the truth when you can make people look stupid and racist.

From the original story:

The bell rang at least twice, he said, while the officers searched his belongings and questioned his intentions.

The principal threatened to expel him if he didn’t make a written statement, he said.

“They were like, ‘So you tried to make a bomb?’” Ahmed said.

“I told them no, I was trying to make a clock.”

“He said, ‘It looks like a movie bomb to me.’”Emphasis mine. A movie bomb

To me the device looks like any homemade prototype electronic circuit, but I have more experience than the average high school principal.

I see an AC cord so apparently has no internal power source. How did it beep?

[Taypo]

Holy cow. That's not at all what I pictured in my head.

I have no doubt in my mind why they got nervous.

[EEllis]

Holy cow. That's not at all what I pictured in my head.

I have no doubt in my mind why they got nervous.

Really. I'm not saying the reaction was right but it seems reasonable to believe that it was meant to resemble a bomb. I mean who would make a suitcase clock? If a kid had this on halloween is there any doubt what people would think?

[JALLEN]

Oh, please!

It looks no more like a bomb than a baritone sax.

Good grief!

[old farmer]

The child may have used the Internet to search for building of clock timer. When does homes land security start files on individuals. The child hit the red button. The end results is fingerprints and DNA in the file.